Document new features for Synoptic Panel 2.5.8

Author: danieleperilli

_mydocs/visuals/synoptic-panel/changelog.md

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ layout:             page
 title:              Changelog
 published:          true
 date:               2024-05-10
-modified:           2026-05-20
+modified:           2026-06-22
 order:              /synoptic-panel/{99}
 toc_h_max:          2
 ---
@@ -17,6 +17,18 @@ Synoptic Panel uses **Power BI Custom Visuals API v5.11.0**, which requires:
 
 > **NOTE:** Synoptic Panel Lite is a subset of Synoptic Panel with limited features. Both versions share the same codebase and changelog.
 
+## v2.5.8
+
+**Released:** 2026-07-11
+
+**New Features:**
+
+- Add [***Labels***](./fields/labels.md) field well to display category labels from a dedicated measure.
+
+**Improvements:**
+
+- Improve the ***Category Labels*** settings when the ***Labels*** field well is used, so the label text is controlled by the bound measure while formatting options remain available.
+
 ## v2.5.7
 
 **Released:** 2026-05-20

_mydocs/visuals/synoptic-panel/features/label-designer.md

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ layout:             page
 title:              Label Designer
 published:          true
 date:               2024-05-12
-modified:           2025-03-26
+modified:           2026-06-22
 order:              /synoptic-panel/features/label-designer
 ---
 
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ Label customizations are map-specific. Therefore, any settings applied within th
 
 > Ensure that labels are enabled in the visual options to make them visible in the Label Designer. This applies to both category labels and data labels. Without activating them, the labels will not appear in the designer interface for customization.
 
+> The Label Designer controls label appearance, position, connectors, and visibility. It does not change the text returned by the [***Labels***](../fields/labels.md) field well.
+
 ## Entering Label Designer
 
 To access the Label Designer, click on its icon <img src="images/label-designer-icon.png" width="25" class="nomargin"> located within the [Top Toolbar](toolbars.md#top-toolbar) at the top-left of the visual and the system transitions into Power BI Focus Mode.
@@ -108,4 +110,4 @@ Here you can set the label size:
 Here you can set the visibility of labels and background:
 
 - **Hide Labels** - Default: `Off`. Toggle the visibility of the labels.
-- **Hide Background** - Default: `Off`. Toggle the visibility of the label background.
+- **Hide Background** - Default: `Off`. Toggle the visibility of the label background.

_mydocs/visuals/synoptic-panel/fields/index.md

@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ layout:             page
 title:              Fields
 published:          true
 date:               2024-05-11
-modified:           2024-09-14
+modified:           2026-06-22
 order:              /synoptic-panel/05
 next_reading:       true
 ---
 Synoptic Panel accepts multiple columns and measures and behaves differently depending on the combination of bound fields.
+
+The ***Categories*** field well identifies the data points to match with map areas. Other field wells can add values, labels, tooltips, map selection, remote map URLs, dynamic links, legends, and color rules depending on the scenario.

_mydocs/visuals/synoptic-panel/fields/labels.md

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+layout:             page
+title:              Labels
+published:          true
+date:               2026-06-22
+modified:           2026-06-22
+order:              /synoptic-panel/fields/labels
+---
+
+The ***Labels*** field well allows you to bind one measure that provides the text displayed by category labels for matched map areas.
+
+Use this field when the label text should be different from the category value, the map area title, or the element id. For example, you can use a DAX measure to display a shorter name, a translated name, or a custom label that depends on the current filter context.
+
+When a measure is bound to ***Labels***:
+
+- Category labels use the measure result as their text for matched areas.
+- The ***Display Value*** and ***Custom Value*** options in [Category Labels - Value](../options/category-labels/value-matched.md) are hidden, because the label text comes from the measure.
+- The ***Append Data Value*** option remains available if you want to append the value from the ***Value*** field well to the label text.
+- Data labels remain controlled by the [***Data Labels***](../options/data-labels/index.md) settings when they are visible.
+
+> The ***Labels*** field affects category label text only. It does not replace the ***Value*** field well, which is still used for numeric values, data labels, conditional formatting, and other value-based behavior.

_mydocs/visuals/synoptic-panel/fields/value.md

@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@ layout:             page
 title:              Value
 published:          true
 date:               2024-09-14
-modified:           2025-03-26
+modified:           2026-06-22
 order:              /synoptic-panel/fields/value
 ---
 
-In the Value field well you can bind one column or measure in your dataset to represent the value of the map areas. The value is used to determine the color, label, tooltips and other properties of the map areas.
+In the ***Value*** field well you can bind one column or measure in your dataset to represent the numeric value of the map areas. The value can be used to determine colors, display data labels, append values to category labels, show tooltips, and drive other value-based behavior.
+
+If you need custom text for category labels, use the [***Labels***](labels.md) field well. This keeps the displayed label text separate from the numeric value used for calculations and formatting.
 
 <img src="images/value.png"  width="700">

_mydocs/visuals/synoptic-panel/get-started/index.md

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ layout:             page
 title:              Get Started
 published:          true
 date:               2024-05-10
-modified:           2026-05-11
+modified:           2026-06-22
 order:              /synoptic-panel/01
 
 ---
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ The main purpose of Synoptic Panel is to visualize data on the map. To do so, yo
 
 - Bind a measure to the ***Value*** field well to connect it to the map areas. The values of this measure could be displayed in labels or used to color the areas of the map.
 
+- Optionally bind a measure to the ***Labels*** field well when category labels must display custom text instead of the category value, map area title, or element id.
+
 - Bind one or more measures to the ***Tooltips*** field well to display them as tooltips when hovering over the map areas.
 
 

_mydocs/visuals/synoptic-panel/options/category-labels/value-matched.md

@@ -3,14 +3,16 @@ layout:             page
 title:              Value
 published:          true
 date:               2024-09-14
-modified:           2025-10-01
+modified:           2026-06-22
 order:              /synoptic-panel/options/category-labels/value
 ---
 
 This section provides options for configuring the category labels value for matched areas. 
 
 > Note that matched areas are the areas that are associated with a data point in the dataset. See [Data Binding](../../concepts/data-binding.md) for more information.
 
+> When a measure is bound to the [***Labels***](../../fields/labels.md) field well, the label text for matched areas comes from that measure. In that case, ***Display Value*** and ***Custom Value*** are hidden.
+
 ## Display Value
 
 **Default value:** (Auto)
@@ -36,7 +38,7 @@ See [Automatic Binding when Hierarchy is Expanded](../../concepts/data-binding.m
 
 **Default value:** (Empty)
 
-The custom value to display for the matched elements. This field is only available when the 'Display Value' option is set to '(Custom)'. 
+The custom value to display for the matched elements. This field is only available when the ***Display Value*** option is set to ***(Custom)*** and the ***Labels*** field well is not used.
 
 You can use different placeholders to include specific fields from the data model or map: 
 
@@ -57,16 +59,16 @@ Computers
 
 **Default value:** Off
 
-When enabled, data point value is appended to the category label.
+When enabled, the data point value from the ***Value*** field well is appended to the category label. This option is also available when the category label text comes from the ***Labels*** field well.
 
 ## Display Unit
 
 **Default value:** Auto
 
-The unit of the value to display. This option is only visible when the 'Include Data Label' option is On. 
+The unit of the value to display. This option is only visible when ***Append Data Value*** is On.
 
 ## Decimal Places
 
 **Default value:** 0
 
-The number of decimal places to display. This option is only visible when the 'Include Data Label' option is On. 
+The number of decimal places to display. This option is only visible when ***Append Data Value*** is On.